Alumni Links & News
News from the world out there: Kathryn Pope in Germany
[ 2009 graduste of MDHS & NFS]
Gymnasium here is much more serious business than high school in America. The classes remind me more of North Fork than of high school; students are graded fifty percent on participation and fifty percent on monthly essay-exams in all the subjects.
I think that English in the thirteenth grade here is much more advanced than anything at MDHS. We read like, Tenessee Williams and George Orwell and must compare and contrast the texts with respect to the American Dream, things like that.
Anyway, the English teacher loves me, and my telling her that I
went to private school for English validated all of her worst suspicions
about the American public school system. She said something to the effect of, "You are the first exchange student I have ever known in fifty years of teaching who actually KNOWS something. I knew you couldn't have gone to public school. I KNEW it." So funny. She is a very strict little German lady with a very proper British accent.
News from the world out there: Kirsten Wiking, now at Marlboro College
[ 2009 graduste of MDHS & NFS]
During my first semester as a freshman at the University of San Francisco, I was enrolled in an Honors English class reserved for incoming students who had in high school received a "4" or "5" (the highest grades) on their AP English exams. The class focused on exploring ways in which modern technology either has or has not improved how people today learn and gain knowledge.
For our first major assignment, I wrote an essay defending the reading of historical texts. For the class following the turn-in date of this assignment, my professor had run photocopies of my essay for my classmates to read as an example of the kind and quality of writing he was looking for. I received an "A" on the assignment, and very quickly became the go-to editor and proofreader of my peers' papers.
In reading their essays, I often found basic grammar and syntax-related errors, errors that I had learned to avoid because of the intensive editing process emphasized in my NFS classes. I definitely credit my strong writing and academic success in large part to my education at the North Fork School.
Note: information below has not been updated since 2004 -- I will update this page by April!
Seventy-three McCall-Donnelly students have participated in the freedoms and responsibilities of North Fork School academic programs since 1996. A total enrollment of 170 in eight years means that most students take two or more years of NFS programs.
Congratulations to our five 2003 graduating seniors! Each of them has taken at least three years of NFS programs, and between them, they have accumulated the following honors:
2003 MDHS Co-Valedictorian
Two Robert Byrd Honor Scholarship recipients (1st ever for MDHS graduates!)
National Merit Scholar Finalist
Academic All-American
National Honor Society
2nd Chair, 1st Violins: McCall Chamber Orchestra
All-American Soccer Player
Presidential Scholar Finalist
All-American Nordic Skier
Olympic Nordic Skiing forerunner
two members of the Junior World Kayaking Team
Gatorade Soccer Player of the Year...
2003 NFS graduates will attend:
The University of Idaho, Carleton College, Middlebury College, The University of Pennsylvania, and Montana State University
Our first graduates (classes of 2001 & 2002) are at Dartmouth College, The University of Puget Sound, The United States Naval Academy, The University of California at Davis, and Oregon State University. Laura was chosen as co-saluatorian of her class. Go to Student/Parent comments to read Spencer's and Laura's thoughts about the NFS contribution to their academic success.
EDITORS
Editing other students' papers by email is not just a benefit to them; it strengthens your own writing skills, and looks great on your college applications! Whenever a current student submits a paper for editing by email, s/he must turn in a printout of both the draft sent, and the draft received. I am asking all editors to edit by setting the CAPS LOCK button before typing their comments...in this way, the author must change his own paper, rather than having the editor make changes for him.
Your email address on the top of the "draft received" printout verifies that you are editing for my students. You will be able to use me as a reference if you want to add "tutoring writing students" to your resumes or college applications.
OPPORTUNITIES
Where can high school students make $20.00 an hour on their own schedule? In McCall...no kidding!
Every summer, I get calls for tutoring young students to strengthen their writing skills. While I do not tutor, students who have taken NFS courses at the high school level have the skill and the knowledge to do a fabulous job with younger students.
This past summer, two of your fellow NFS alumni did just that for three children of a Boise family. Once a week, when it fit their own schedules, they created a fun activity for their charges, and helped them write about it. This type of self-directed summer job looks really great on college applications, and pays better than most jobs for students!
I also often receive calls from organizations looking for responsible summer interns...while these jobs pay only a small stipend or hourly wage, they offer really good experience and training in a variety of skills, and look excellent as "Community Service" items on your applications.
This is your page...email Marie with suggestions or ideas by clicking on our address at left. If you are willing to edit papers by email, and want a link to your email on the Editors' Links page, let me know.
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